Comics Should Be Good Top 50 Countdown! - #44

This one is pretty tough, because what you have here is the
introduction of two fairly notable characters and simply the re-naming
of another hero (while also, yes, the first appearance of another
character, but I’m sorry Jericho fans, he isn’t that noteworthy).

However, all said and done, I think the sidekick of Batman, Dick
Grayson, becoming a new character, Nightwing, is more significant than
the Wasp appearing in Tales to Astonish #44 (interesting that they’re
both Tales issues!) and Gorgon appearing in Fantastic Four #44 (which
is less about Gorgon appearing as it is the first appearance of the
Inhumans, kinda).

But really, this issue, which was the penultimate part of the Judas
Contract, is just a slightly larger piece of comic book history than
those issues, as the New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez
was one of the highest-selling comic books of the early 80s, this was
perhaps their most famous storyline, and it involved Dick Grayson, one
of the most famous comic book characters in all of comics.

So I’m pretty confident in saying that this was the most notable #44 out there.

Still, Tales to Astonish #44 and Fantastic Four #44 are notable
runners-up, as well as strong issues of Sandman, Swamp Thing, Doom
Patrol and Amazing Spider-Man.